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A cluster bomb in southern Lebanon. Many of the cluster bombs that Israel used in the war were made in the United States. MCC helps Lebanese children avoid cluster bombs
Tim Shenk MCC is funding an effort to warn Lebanese children about the danger of unexploded cluster bombs that Israel dropped on their communities during its recent war with Hezbollah. An MCC partner organization, The Philanthropic Association for Disable Care, is distributing educational board games to teach children how to recognize, report and avoid cluster bombs. Cluster bombs are small explosives carried by a larger container or shell fired from artillery or rocket launchers or dropped from planes. They often do not explode on contact and pose a great risk to civilians, particularly children and farmers, after a conflict has ended. Some cluster bombs are fist-sized, and others are as small as a size D battery or as long as a soda can. The United Nations reports that Israeli attacks left as many as 100,000 unexploded cluster bombs in rural and residential areas of southern Lebanon. Since the war ended, 13 people have been killed and 46 have been injured by accidentally detonating cluster bombs in Lebanon, according to the United Nations. In most cases, the victims are children. MCC is contributing at least $22,000 U.S., or $24,300 Cdn., to fund the educational project. The plans include workshops and educational materials for volunteers who will raise awareness about cluster bombs and other unexploded ordnance in their communities. MCC has been involved in raising awareness about the dangers of cluster bombs for more than 30 years, beginning in Laos after the Vietnam war. According to Nada Ismail, the president of The Philanthropic Association for Disable Care, volunteers and local residents should not attempt to disarm unexploded cluster bombs. Instead, they should make sure everyone avoids the cluster bombs until professionals can safely destroy them. An MCC assessment team is working in Lebanon from Aug. 25 to Sept. 2 to plan the next steps in MCC's aid response. "From what we see here in what's happening to innocent children and civilians, we think there should be an international ban on all cluster bombs and land mines," said Janet Janzen, an MCC co-director for Europe and the Middle East, who is part of the assessment team. MCC is appealing to its constituents for funds to help civilians avoid cluster bombs and to provide other aid to people affected by the war in Lebanon.
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